Imagine a scene straight out of a culinary competition show, but with a uniquely Australian twist. High above the Melbourne skyline, 55 floors up at the renowned Vue de monde restaurant, a double rainbow arcs across the city as Vancouver chef Andrea Carlson savours exquisite local ingredients. This moment was just the beginning of a two-week immersion into the heart of Australia's celebrated food culture for one of Canada's most respected restaurateurs.
A Culinary Expedition with a Michelin-Starred Guide
The journey, chronicled in December 2025, saw writer Lucy Hyslop accompany Andrea Carlson, the chef-owner of Vancouver's Michelin-starred Burdock & Co, on a gastronomic road trip through southern Australia. The mission was clear: for Carlson to absorb the essence of Australian cuisine and bring inspiration back to British Columbia. The trip was punctuated by experiences like being whisked into Vue de monde's kitchen to craft a mandarin sorbet using liquid nitrogen, a testament to the hands-on, immersive dining philosophy prevalent Down Under.
The Heartbeat of the Australian Table: Celebration and Slow Food
Beyond the high-altitude dining, the core thread of the adventure was discovering how joyously and loudly Australians celebrate their homegrown bounty and the people behind it. This ethos resonated deeply with Carlson, whose own 30-year career has been built on a similar farm-to-table, locavore philosophy. In Melbourne, a city described as cosmopolitan yet less showy than Sydney, a cavalcade of chefs opened their kitchens to this kindred spirit.
A visit to Anchovy restaurant in the Richmond suburb was a prime example. There, chef Thi Le's dedication to the Slow Food movement—a global initiative championing "good, clean, and fair food for all"—was palpable. Le had personally helped local fishers haul in nearly a ton of anchovies to create her own homemade fish sauce, a project still fermenting in barrels of salt three years later. Travelling with Carlson, noted as a supertaster and the first female chef in Canada to own and retain a Michelin star for four consecutive years, was like having a flavour thesaurus on hand as she expertly analyzed each dish.
Bringing the Essence of Australia Home to B.C.
The entire experience served as a powerful exchange of culinary values. From the innovative techniques at fine-dining establishments to the profound commitment to local, slow fermentation in casual eateries, Carlson's journey highlighted the vibrant parallels between the food scenes of coastal Australia and Canada's West Coast. The insights gleaned from this intensive two-week tour are now being distilled into a special road-trip-inspired menu back at her Vancouver restaurant, Burdock & Co, offering Canadian diners a taste of the passionate, produce-driven spirit that defines modern Australian cuisine.
The adventure underscored a universal truth in high-end gastronomy: whether in the Adelaide Hills, Melbourne, or Vancouver, a deep reverence for local ingredients and the stories of the people who cultivate them is the true mark of culinary excellence.
